PV Edges Caldwell In A Thriller
On Benvenuti's 45-Yd. Field Goal

LITTLE FALLS- Take two teams with winning traditions, add in the scrappiness of a season opener, and throw in three scores in the final two minutes and what do you have?

An instant classic and another moment that makes high school football special.

On a comfortable Friday night in Little Falls, Caldwell and Passaic Valley treated a large crowd to an emotional roller coaster. It culminated with Dante Benvenuti’s 45-yard FG on the game’s final play to give the host Hornets a 23-21 victory.

Trailing 21-20 with 33 seconds and three timeouts left, PV started from its own 35. A 9-yard run by QB Anthony Bagnuolo and a 11-yard pass to Benvenuti (6 rec, 84 yd, 1 TD) moved the ball to the Caldwell 45 with 15 seconds left. Nick Huliev then hauled in a 10-yard pass to move the ball to the 35 with eight seconds left. A 7-yard run by Huliev took the ball to the 28 with four seconds remaining, setting up the field goal attempt. Benvenuti hit it solidly down the middle with plenty to spare to set off a celebration in Little Falls.

“It felt perfect. I got it off the right spot” said a jubilant Benvenuti. “I’ve been practicing this the entire summer and it paid off.

That celebration seemed like a remote possibility just moments earlier.

Trailing 20-14 with 1:47 left, Caldwell drove 76 yards in five plays to take the lead. Solomon Soriente scampered 23 yards on 3rd-and-12 for a first down at the Chiefs 45. A holding penalty moved the ball to the PV 45. Soph QB Adam Sepe (13-21, 235, 3 TD) then dropped back and fired a ball into the endzone for senior Kaelen Harper. The 6’2” Harper outfought the PV defender for the ball and the 45-yard TD and point after gave the Chiefs their first lead on the night at 21-20 with 33 seconds left.

Heading into the final two minutes, overtime seemed like a real possibility with the score 14-14, when Caldwell started from its own 18 with 2:39 left. On 2nd-and-16 from the 12, the Hornets defense came up with a big play-a strip/sack/fumble in the endzone which was recovered by Richard Breitweiser for a touchdown and it was 20-14 but a bad snap on the point after kept the margin at six points with 1:47 left.

The first half gave no indication of the drama that would follow.

The Hornets scored on their first possession, marching 62 yards on eight plays to open the scoring. Runs by Huliev and Bagnuolo (12-18, 162, 1 TD) moved the ball to the Chiefs 38. A 20-yard strike to Benvenuti brought the ball to the 18. On 2nd-and-5 from the 13 Huliev took the ball on an inside counter and raced to paydirt to give the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 4:37 left in the first.

Caldwell was its worst enemy in the opening half, committing a pair of critical mistakes. Following the PV touchdown, the Chiefs lost a fumble at midfield, and then committed a roughing-the-kicker penalty on 4th-and-23 from the PV 19 midway through the second quarter to keep a Hornets drive alive. The home team would take advantage of the second chance with passes of 32 yards to Vinny Berardi and 26 yards to Benvenuti to move the ball to the Caldwell 9. On 3rd-and-goal from the 12 Benvenuti hauled in a scoring pass in the corner of the endzone and it was 14-0 PV at the break.

“We were taking shots downfield, which I love” ,said Bagnuolo. ”I love throwing the ball deep, one-on-one coverage. I’m taking my man every single time, no matter what.

The Chiefs then tied it in the second half with a pair of 50-yard drives. Sepe connected with Santino Russo on a slant pattern for an 8-yard score midway through the third quarter and a 44-yard strike to Nick Moyano with 4:38 left to set the stage for the late game fireworks.

The Hornets will need to avoid second half letdowns in future encounters.

“A lot of us have got to get in better shape, including myself” added Benvenuti. “We’ve got to put more effort in practice, and especially in the second half and the fourth quarter.

Hornets coach Max Wassel echoed that sentiment.

“It’s definitely one for the books for week one. They came out good in the first but I think we got a little tired, a little complacent and they came right back in. That’s what I said to them after the game.

On not playing in week 0:

“At the end of the day we were able to roll guys in when guys were going down cause if you those extra reps that’s kinda been my whole thing with the week 0 game. Our young guys need those extra reps and camp time.

It won’t get any easier for Caldwell next week when they host rivals West Essex while Passaic Valley entertains Wayne Valley, now led by former West Essex coach Chris Benacquista.

Caldwell (0-1)          0          0         7        14         21
Passaic Valley (1-0) 7          7        0          9          23
PV – Nick Huliev 13 run (Dante Benvenuti kick)
PV – Benvenuti 12 pass from Anthony Bagnuolo (Benvenuti kick)
C – Santino Russo 8 pass from Adam Sepe (Matt Murtagh kick)
C – Nick Moyano 44 pass from Sepe (Murtagh kick)
PV – Richard Breitwieser fumble recovery in endzone (try failed)
C – Kaelen Harper 45 pass from Sepe (Murtagh kick)
PV – Benvenuti 45 FG